Judges Of Israel

The Judges of Israel (Sefer Shoftim) Judge

(verses) Years Ruled

Home Tribe

Othniel

(3:7-11) 2516-2556

Judah

Ehud

(3:12-30) 2556-2636

Benjamin

(3:31) 2636

"son of Anath"

Shamgar

Deborah

(4-5) 2636-2676

Gideon

(6-8) 2676-2716 **

Avimelek

(9:22) 2716-19

?

Manasseh

Notes Brother of Caleb; the spirit of the L-rd was on him; Defeated the Arameans Left-handed Killed Eglon, king of Moab, by trickery

Enemy Aramnaharaim Moab

Judged for ½ a year

Philistia

Woman tribal leader, both military and legal Campaigned against Sisera, Canaanite general under Jabin, the King of Hazor Barak was military leader under Deborah Jael, a Kenite woman, killed Sisera as he fled

Canaan

Came from a family of Baal worshippers Afraid to trust G-d; portrayed as an arrogant coward G-d gave him a plan to defeat the Midianites Ended up worshipping Baal

Midian

?

Tola

(10:1-2) 2719-2742

Yissachar

Yair

(10:3-5) 2742-2764

Gilead

Buried at Shamir

Yiftach

(10:6-12:7) 2782-2788

Gilead

300 years after entering the Land

Ammon

Ibzan

(12:8-10) 2788-2794

Yehudah

Possibly Boaz (who married Rus)

?

Elon

(12:9-10) 2794-2804

Zebulun

Abdon

(12:13-15) 2804-2812

Shimshon

(13-16) 2812-2832

?

?

"son of Hillel the Buried in Ephraim Pirathonite" Dan

?

Born to a barren woman by promise Nazarite, but broke his vows G-d helped him bring relief from the Philistines Fatal attraction to Delilah

?

Philistia

The rest of the book of Judges (17-21) describes a situation deteriorating on two fronts, the breakdown of religious sensitivity (17-18) and finally the breakdown of social concerns that led to civil war among the tribes (19-21) in which the tribe of Benjamin was nearly annihilated. The recurring comment that "there was no king" anticipates the rise of the monarchy that, while not the best religious move, brought some stability to a bad situation. **Years according to Radak, where 7 years of subjugation by Midian are included in Gideon’s 40 years. According to Rashi, Gideon’s judgeship began in year 2683 and Yiftach’s judgeship occurred after 300 years from conquest of land (2788)